Dispensing-type toothbrush



June 21, 1966 G. R. SHERMAN 3,256,894

DI SPENS ING-TYPE TOOTHBRUSH Filed May 2.7, 1964 Fig. 7 /22 Gilbert l?. Sherman /24 INVENTOR.

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United States Patent O 3,256,894 DISPENSING-TYPE TOOTHBRUSH Gilbert R. Sherman, 1717 Stanley Ave.,

Mount Vernon, Ill. Filed May 27, 1964, Ser. No. 370,501 9 Claims. (Cl. 132-84) The present invention relates to a fountain-type toothbrush wherein, as usual, the hollow handle or barrel 1s provided with the desired dentifrice and wherein the latter is forcibly dispensed therefrom through a passage leading to a bristle-equipped head and wherein the barrel and also the head have improved features which result in the production of a toothbrush which ybetter and more satisfactorily serves the purposes for which it is intended.

One improvement resides in the use of air as a force and wherein the air column is placed under pressure by way of a simple and expedient resilient finger-depressed cap. To the end desired a simple bulbous rubber or an equivalent cap is operatively mounted on an end portion of the barrel-like handle whereby upon exerting finger pressure thereon and depressing the same it acts on the trapped air which in turn controls a check valve whereby to in this manner act on a follower in the dentifrice holder or cartridge to progressively express the dentifrice for use.

The end f the handle or barrel which carries the normally expanded finger-depressed bulb or cap is further novel in that the cap is mounted on a fitting and said fitting is provided with a simple check valve which is arranged to focus the air under pressure in a manner to not only open the check valve but 4to act on the dentifrice plunging and expelling cup.

The concept also comprehends the adoption and use of a barrel-like handle wherein the same serves to accommodate an insertable and removable dentifrice containing cartridge, preferably one which has a nipple at the discharge end which can be severed with a suitable nipping tool or implement and which is provided at the opposite end with a flanged puncturable member or diaphragm and also provided interiorly thereof with the air actuated dentifrice plunging cup.

Further novelty is predicated on the construction of the head which is not only provided with suitable bristles but which has a dentrifrice discharging orifice or outlet which communicates with an applicator. One form of the applicator comprises a slitted rubber or equivalent applier which preferably has a dished end .which forms a sort of a cove and `which latter assists in more evenly distributing the dentifrice of the adjacent bristles while at the same time guarding against injury in a situation where the user applies the bristles of the brush too vigorously to the teeth and gums.

Then, too, novelty is predicated on separate head and handle portions wherein the handle portion is preferably constructed with a screw-threaded socket member to accommodate a screw-threaded end on 'an attachable and detachable dentifrice-filled cartridge, said cartridge being provided a-t one end with the aforementioned valved pressurizing cap or bulb.

Further, novelty is based on a bristle-equipped head wherein the discharge end of the passage cooperates with a projecting neck, said neck being peripherally grooved to facilitate the attachment thereto of a novel pressure responsive valve, that is a valve which is normally closed to guard against leakage or drippage and which comes into play and is forced out to an open discharging position .-by the pressure of the dentifrice which is forcibly ejected for use.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter de- Patented' June 21, 1966 ice scribed and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a View in perspective of a fountain toothbrush constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention showing one embodiment and approximately how it is to be held and used for charging the bristles with dentifrice or toothpaste as the case may be;

FIGURE 2 is a view on a slight-lyenlarged scale with parts appearing primarily in section and wherein said view is taken on the plane of the central section line 2 2 of FIGURE 1 FIGURE 3 is an enlarged view in section showing the bulb or cap-equipped end of the handle or barrel (see FIG. 2 at the right) and illustrating how one goes about pressing air from the cap-like bulb in a manner to open the check valve and to force the air column into the cartridge to act on the cup-like follower or plunger; y

FIGURE 4 is a view in perspective of the insertable and removable cartridge;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged detail view taken on the plane of the section line 5 5 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a view in section and elevation similar to FIGURE 2 but showing a modified construction wherein the cartridge takes the place of and serves as a handle in addition to a holder and dispenser;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged view showing a modified adaptation and further showing the pressure responsive control valve; and

FIGURE 8 is a View in itself.

Reference will be made first to FIGS. 1 to 5, inclusive. In this form or embodiment of the invention the hollow cylindrical handlevor barrel is denotedvat 10 and-is of suitable material and approximately of the size shown in FIG. 1. The forward end portion of this handle or barrel merges into and is integral with a shank 12 which in turn is fashioned into an elongated rectangular head denoted generally at 14. This head incl-udes a brush back 16 of common form provided on its brushing surface with appropriate bristles 18. As shown in FIG. 2 there is a longitudinal bore 20 which constitutes a passage and which is provided at the righthand end with an enlarged'counterbore 22. The opposite end of the bore is laterally directed as at 24 and constitutes a discharge orifice opening through a generally rectangular boss 26. This mound or boss 26 serves to accommodate the flanged end porti-on 28 of the elongated hollow elastic applicator 30. The top portion of the applicator is dished or `Otherwise formed to provide a cove 32 at the center of which is a normally closed discharge slit 34. Thus the slit and applicator may be interpreted as a normally closed valved dispensing nipple-type applicator.

The insertable and removable cartridge is of an elongated cylindrical form and is denoted generally at 36 and one end portion 38 is fashioned with a piloting and positioning nipple 40. The end 42 is normally closed but can be clipped olf with a pair of scissors or a suitable instrument in order to open up the nipple before it is fitted telescopingly into the tunneling inlet 22. The opposite end portion is provided with an endless outstanding flange 44 which end is suitable punctured as at 46 when it is to be used. On the interior and in addition to the dentifrice 48 a cup-like follower 50 is provided. This follower acts as a dentifrice expressing plunger.

In carrying out this form of the invention novel manually actuatable means is provided and this comprises a fitting or adapter 52 (FIG. 3) which has a screw-threaded portion 54 which is screwed on the reduced neck 56. This adapter also embodies a disk-like end portion 58 having an air port or orifice 60 which is normally closed by perspective of the valve by a flap-type check valve 62 which is suitably mounted 0n one side in a manner to cover the port. The port and valve are aligned with the punctured air intake 46 in order to deliver air under pressure into the cup and to force the cup in a step-by-step manner against the dentifrice and to in turn express the dentifrice through the discharge neck 40 into the dispensing passage 20 and accordingly int-o the bristles by way of the normally closed pressure opened applicator 30. It will be noticed that to accomplish the desired result a simple mechanical pump, as it were, is provided and this comprises a semispherical rubber or an equivalent resilient bulb 64 having a vent 66 and also having a portion 68 which encompasses the adapter and is held seated by an associated assembling and retaining band, all as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 in particular.

In practice with this form of the invention the original purchase would include the complete ready-to-use assemblage of parts illustrated in FIGS. l and 2 in particular. This is to say the cartridge 36 containing the dentifrice is already in place in the hollow portion of the barrel or handle 10. It is torbe assumed that the end 42 of the nipple has been cut off and that the nipple has been forced into the intake seat 22 provided therefor. Also the adapter 52 with its finger pressure operaed bulb is in place. By placing ones finger over the port 66 and exerting pressure on the bulb 64 in the manner shown in FIG. 3, the air which was trapped in the bulb is now forced through the port 60 to open the check valve and the pressurized air column passes through the punctured hole 46 and acts on the plunger 50 to force it in a step-by-step manner with the result that the plunging action thus achieved puts the dentifrice under pressure and forcibly expresses it through the passage 12 and into the applicator for dispensing into the bristles of the brush. When the supply of dentifrice in the cartridge has run out the adapter with the bulb is screwed off, the empty cartridge is removed and replaced with a new one. Then the bulb and its adapter is returned to the positi-on shown in FIG. 2 and also in FIG. 3.

With reference now to the modification shown in FIG. 6 the head unit is denoted as an entity by the numeral 70 and comprises a shank 72 with a passage 74 with an enlarged funnel-like intake 76 at one end and a discharge orifice 78 at the opposite end. Here again a neck or boss is lprovided at 80 this being formed as an integral part of the backing 82 carrying the brush bristles 84. The applicator, of compressible rubber, is denoted at 86 and is mounted on the boss and cooperates with the orice 78 and has a normally closed valving or discharge slit 88 which can be opened up when the proper pressure is applied thereto. The slitted end of the applicator can be either flat, that is planar, or dished to fonm the aforementioned recess or cove shown in FIG. 5, this being an optional phase of the concept. The opposite or righthand end portion of the shank is provided with a screwthreaded socket member 90 to accommodate the screwthreaded end portion 92 of a handle-forming dentifrice containing cartridge 94. The nipple in this instance is denoted at 96 and ts into the intake 76.

In this instance the follower or cup is denoted at 98. The adapter head comprises a neck 100 which is screwed into the screw-threaded end portion 102 of the barrel whereby to thus mount the adapter. Here again the adapter comprises a disk portion 104 having a port 106 with a valve 108 closing said port, the flanged end 110 being provided with the band attached semi-spherical resilient bulb 112 which functions in the manner shown in FIG. 3. The only difference in this construction and arrangement is in the manner in which the adapter is threadedly connected to the barrel. Otherwise the finger-depressed bulb or cap means is the same in construction.

There Imay be instances where the applicator shown in FIGS. 1 and 6 might not be used. This is to say there may be an instance wherein the modified form shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 is preferred. Here a neck 114 is provided on the brush head 116, said neck receiving the supply of dentifrice -through the passage 118. The end of the neck is provided with a rubber or an equivalent valve of the construction shown in FIG. 8 and which comprises a diaphragm or disk 122 having an attaching elastic band 124 which is fitted around the grooved portion of the neck in the manner shown and which is provided with circumferentially spaced discharge openings 126.

It will be obvious in this arrange-ment that the dentifrice when it is put under pressure and squeezed through the passages 118 will open up the valve 120 in the manner illustrated in phantom lines in FIG. 7 and will thus allow the dentifrice to be squeezed out and delivered to and distributed among the brush bristles.

It is within the purview of the over-all concept Athat the hereindisclosed brush be structurally and functionally modied so that it can be carried with nicety in ones coat or shirt pocket in a manner, similar, for example to a fountain pen. To this end a cap would be fitted removably over the brush head and, in addition, a pocket clip would be provided at the pressure end or elsewhere, as the manufacturer would decide.

It is also a matter of significance to take into account a fountain-type brush combination -characterized by a dentifrice-charged handle (FIG. 6) with one end screwed or otherwise detachably joined to the bristle-equipped head (one unit) and wherein the pressure responsive valved means (a second self-contained unit) is readily attachable and detachable. Accordingly, with such a construction and orientation of the several units the handle, as such, constitutes a disposable and replaceable separately purchasable cartridge or unit and the head and pressure valved means or unit can be used over and over.

It is believed that a careful consideration of the specification in conjunction with the views of the drawing will enable the reader to obtain a clear and comprehensive understanding of the construction, the features andadvantages and the manner of using the embodiments of the invention herein shown. Accordingly, a more eX- tended description is regarded as unnecessary.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention lto the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A fountain-type tooth brush comprising a shank having a head, said head embodying a backing member provided with bristles, said shank and backing member having a dentifrice passage extending therethrough, said passage having `a dentifrice discharge orifice at one end proximal to said bristles, also having a raised apertured boss, an applicator having a anged end portion embracing and cooperatively attached to said boss, said appplicator being hollow and having an endportion which is dished and provided with a normally closed expansible and contractible slit constituting a valve, and handle means attached to said shank in cooperative alignment with said passage.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 and wherein the dentifrice intake end of said passage is enlarged, said handle means having a dentifrice containing and supply- `ing cartridge including a discharge nipple having a discharge end portion fitting telescopically into the intake end of said passage.

3. A toothbrush of the class described comprising a han-dle-equipped bristle head having a backing member with -a discharge neck, said'neck projecting in relation Vto adjacent bristles and having an axial vdischarge end and a peripherally grooved end portion, a iiexible disk normally spanning and covering the discharge end, said disk having an elastic attaching and retaining band removably mounted in said groove.

4. A toothbrush of the class described comprising a handle-equipped bristle head having a backing member with a discharge neck, said neck projecting in relation to adjacent bristles and having an axial discharge end and a grooved end portion, a iiexible disk normally spanning and covering said discharge end, said disk having an elastic attaching and retaining band mounted in said groove, said band being provided with associated circumferentially spaced discharge openings which serve to discharge dentifrice therethrough, that is, when the disk has been placed under pressure and is forced away from the discharge orifice in a manner to uncover and open said discharge openings.

5. A toothbrush comprising a bristle-equipped head having avalved discharge orifice and an associated exibly resilient applicator cooperable with the orifice and also with the bristles, said applicator having a valve slit which is normally closed but is pressure-responsive and openable when properly subjected t-o pressure, a hollow handle, said handle providing a receiver, and a dentifrice vsupplying cartridge insertably and removably tted into said receiver, said cartridge having an openable nipple at a discharge end, being provided at its opposite end with a puncturable air intake diaphragm and being internally provided with a reciprocable air pressure responsive cup, said cup being opposed and spaced from said diaphragm constituting a follower and having -the function of a dentifrice expressing plunger, and a linger actuated pressure responsive bulb mounted on said opposite end and adapted to generate a pressurized column of air between itself and said diaphragm capable of operating said plunger, said bulb having a tinge-r openable and closable air venting port.

-6. A toothbrush 'comprising a bristle-equipped head having a valved discharge orifice and an associated exibly resilient applicator coopera-ble with the oriiice and also with the bristles, said applicator having a valve slit which is normally closed but is pressure-responsive when opened, a hollow handle joined at one end to said head, the other end of said handle being open, and a cartridge Iiitted through said open end and telescoping removably into said handle, said cartridge having an openable nipple at its discharge end and being provided at its opposite end with a puncturable diaphragm adapted to provide a pressurized air intake port, an imperforate cup mounted for translation in said cartridge and constituting an air pressure responsive follower and providing a dentifrice contacting and expressing plunger, an adapter connected to the rearward end of said handle, said adapter having an intake opening and an associated normally closed air pressure responsive check valve coacting with said opening, and a pressure responsive elastic bulb attached to said adapter and cooperable with said valved air intake opening.

7. A fountain-type .toothbrush comprising a bristleequipped head having a passage for supplying dentifrice to the bristles, said passage provided at its dentifrice intake end with an internally screw-threaded socket member, a handle having a screw-threaded end removably screwed into said socket member, said handle being adapted to contain, store and dispense a dentifrice, said handle being provided at said screw-threaded end with an axial dentifrice dispensingnipple, said handle being further provided at a rearward end with a screwthreaded neck, an adapter having a screw-threaded portion connected with Said neck and also having a disk provided with an axial air inlet port, said disk provided on one side with a normally closed pressure opened flaptype check valve, a resilient bulb operatively mounted onsaid adapter for cooperation with said disk and having a nger controlled opening therein constituting an air intake and discharge port, and an imperforate cup slidingly mounted in said handle with one end contacting the dentifrice in a manner to express the same, said cup being spaced from said disk to provide an intervening air chamber wherein pressurized air is generated to exert pressure against and operate said cup.

8. A fountain-type toothbrush comprising a shank having a head, said head embodying a backing member provided with bristles, said shank and backing member having a dentifrice passage extending therethrough, said passage having a discharge orifice at one end proximal to said bristles, also having a raised boss, an applicator having a flanged end portion embracing and attached to said boss, said aplicator being hollow and having an end portion which is dished and provided with a normally closed expansible and contractible slit constituting a valve, and handle means attached to said shank in cooperative alignment with said passage, the intake end of said passage being enlarged in dimension, said handle comprising a barrel charged with ready-to-'use dentifrice and having a delivery nipple at the forward end iitting telescopically and removably into the intake end of said passage, said handle constituting va self-contained disposable cartridge and being replaceable, a linger actuated bulb having a linger controlled vent, a valved adapter for and on which said bulb is operatively mounted, said adapter Iand bulb constituting a selfcontained unit, and means on the rearward end of said barrel whereby said adapter is separably connec-tible thereto and whereby said handle when its purpose has been served can be thrown away and a new handle put in its position.

9. In combination, a first self-contained intact unit comprising a fountain-type brush head having a head member equipped with bristles and a complemental shank, said shank having a dentifrice delivery passage extending therethrough for supplying dentifrice to the bristles, a second unit comprising a dentifrice lled barrel for containing, storing and dispensing the dentifrice and also providing an elongated brush handle, said barrel being provided ata forward end with a discharge nipple and connecting means whereby said nipple may be cornmunicatively joined with said shan-k for coaction with said passage, the rearward end of said barrel being screwthreaded to provide an attaching neck for an adapter, and being provided interiorly with a cup-like plunger which when subjected to pressure on its rearward face 4 serves to dispense the dentifrice through said nozzle,

and a third unit embodying a linger actuated bulb having a iinger controlled vent and a valved adapter on which said bulb is operatively mounted.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,226,663 12/1940 Hill et al. 132--84 2,305,158 12/1942 Hauses 15-559 X 3,184,120 5/196-5 Undi 222-209 FOREIGN PATENTS 49,271 11/1938 France.

CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

PHILIP R. ARVIDSON, STUART E. BECK,

Assistant Examiners, 

8. A FOUNTAIN-TYPE TOOTHBRUSH COMPRISING A SHANK HAVING A HEAD, SAID HEAD EMBODYING A BACKING MEMBER PROVIDED WITH BRISTLES, SAID SHANK AND BACKING MEMBER HAVING A DENTRIFRICE PASSAGE EXTENDING THERETHROUGH, SAID PASSAGE HAVING A DISCHARGE ORIFEICE AT OEN END PROXIMAL TO SAID BRISTLES, ALSO HAVING A RASISED BOSS, AN APPLICATOR HAVING A FLANGED END PORTION EMBRACING AND ATTACHED TO SAID BOSS, SAID APPLICATOR BEING HOLLOW AND HAVING AN END PORTION WHICH IS DISHED AND PROVIDED WITH A NORMALLY CLOSED EXPANSIBLE AND CONTRACTIBLE SLIT CONSTITUTING A VALVE, A HANDLE MEANS ATTACHED TO SAID SHANK IN COOPERATIVE ALIGNMENT WITH SAID PASSAGE, THE INTAKE END OF SAID PASSAGE BEING ENLARGED IN DIMENSION, SAID HANDLE COMPRISING A BARREL BEING CHARGED WITH READY-TO-USE DENTIFRICE AND HAVING A DELIVERY NIPPLE AT THD FORWARD END FITTING TELESCOPICALLY AND REMOVABLY INTO THE INTAKE END OF SAID PASSAGE, SAID HANDLE CONSTITUTING A SELF-CONTAINED DISPOSABLE CARTRIDGE AND BEING REPLACEABLE, A FINGER ACTUATED BULB HAVING A FINGER CONTROLLED VENT, A VALVED ADAPTED FOR AND ON WHICH SAID BULB IS OPERATIVELY MOUNTED, SAID ADAPTER AND BULB CONSTITUTING A SELFCONTAINED UNIT, AND MEANS ON THE REARWARD END OF SAID BARREL WHEREBY SAID ADAPTER IS SEPARABLY CONNECTIBLE THERETO AND WHEREBY SAID HANDLE WHEN ITS PURPOSE HAS BEEN SERVED CAN BE THROWN AWAY AND A NEW HANDLE PUT IN ITS POSITION. 